The Role of Pharmacist in Society

The Role of Pharmacist in Society

• Pharmacists have knowledge and expertise in compounding medicines, evaluating medicine quality and efficacy, selecting suitable medications, and storing medicines.
• They provide advice to patients regarding medication use, potential side effects, and how to take their medications.
• Pharmacists are experts on drugs and their use, acting as custodians of medicine information.
• Pharmacists are healthcare professionals and the profession of pharmacy is dedicated to patients' welfare.

Why Pharmacist as a Profession

• Pharmacists possess a specialized body of knowledge crucial for patient care.
• Applied knowledge encompasses practical skills and intellectual understanding.
• Intellectual knowledge is essential for professional practice.
• A service's societal value alone does not qualify it as a professional service; judgment-based service, informed by available information, characterizes a profession.
• Pharmacists' skills and knowledge go beyond mere product distribution; their knowledge and judgment are used in patient care and the safety of medications.

Code of Ethics for Pharmacists (2018)

• Ethics are rules established by the profession to aid decision-making in complex situations.
• Ethical frameworks guide professionals' behavior, ensuring patient welfare is prioritized over personal gain.
• Key principles include patient welfare, accurate medication dispensing, and adherence to regulations when providing medication services.
• Ethical violations could include providing unsafe medications, dispensing medications with errors, or using printed/electronic media irresponsibly.
• The professional considers the welfare of others before their own needs.

Code of Conduct

• The Pharmacy Board established a comprehensive Code of Conduct for pharmacists in 1989.
• The code outlines standards for professional conduct, aiming to improve professionalism in Malaysia.
• The current code serves as a benchmark, addressing professional malpractice cases and guiding ethical behavior.
• Specifically; new responsibilities, standards and obligations for pharmacists in the context of professionalism, conduct and the Code of Ethics were established.

Why Pharmacist as a Profession (2)

• Pharmacists demonstrate specific attitudes that influence professional conduct and actions, primarily emphasizing patient welfare.
• Patient welfare is prioritized using sound judgment, not personal gains.
• Key emphasis is on the unselfish concern for others.
• Pharmacists are evaluated as professionals, not based on personal gains.

Professionalism Characteristics

• Professionals prioritize client health and well-being, utilizing highly specialized knowledge.
• Standards of behavior are expected to be higher, preventing exploitation of knowledge.
• Codes of conduct provide guidelines and ensure proper professional service.

Pharmacy as a Profession

• Roles and responsibilities of pharmacy professionals may vary.
• Pharmacists maintain credibility and trust through high ethical standards and professional conduct.

Objections to Pharmacy as a Profession

• Skeptics view pharmacy more as a business rather than a profession, citing the sale of medications as the sole emphasis.

Explore the essential roles and responsibilities of pharmacists within society. This quiz covers their expertise in medicine, patient care, and the professional knowledge required for effective practice. Test your understanding of how pharmacists contribute to healthcare and patient safety.